[Analysis of humoral immunity in broilers challenged with Eimeria prior to and following anticoccidial vaccination, by means of ELISA]

Background: Despite the use of prophylactic chemotherapy and vaccination, coccidiosis is still one of the most devastating diseases in poultry industry. Understanding the immune mechanism helps researchers to prevent this parasitic infection more effectively

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibody response in chickens, induced by a live attenuated vaccine [Livacox Q], before and after challenge, by means of ELISA

Methods: One hundred and twenty one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly divided into 4 groups of 30 birds. In 4th day of age, half the birds were orally vaccinated. The challenged groups received the infective dose at 14th day of age via oral administration. Besides recording weight gain, lesion score and oocyst count in 21[st] day old birds, humoral immunity was assessed by means of ELISA on serum samples taken from 7 and 21day-old birds

Results: Three days post vaccination, the average of optical density [OD] showed significant difference between vaccinated [0.553] and unvaccinated [0.686] birds [p

Conclusions:The results indicated that ELISA can be used for evaluating immunity uniformity of a flock after vaccination. Besides inducing antibody responses comparable to challenge with wild oocysts, vaccination with live attenuated coccidiosis vaccines may have inhibitory effects in intestinal lesion scores which are responsible for pathogenesis and economic loss during coccidial infections

Visceral coccidiosis in a common mynah [Acridotheres tristis] due to Isospora sp. infection

A captive adult common mynah [Acridotheres tristis] died shortly after a course of seizure and opisthotonous with an illness characterized by severe lethargy, depression, loss of appetite, polyurate, and urate discoloration. Abdominal distention and hepatomegly, visible over the abdominal skin, were noticed clinically. At necropsy, severe enlargement of liver with general discoloration was obvious. Histopathological findings included schizonts and gametes in the intestine, especially in the duodenum. Cytology from impression smears revealed intracyto-plasmic Atoxoplasma-like zoites in the inflammatory cells especially macrophages within the liver and in the contact smears prepared from the liver, lung, and spleen. Based on postmortem findings of the organisms in blood mononuclear cells and in impression smears of liver and Giemsa stained impression smears of liver, the spleen and lung atoxoplasmosis caused by Isoapora sp. was specified as the cause of death. According to the literature, visceral coccidiosis [atoxo-plasmosis], described here, could be considered as one of the severe causes of mortality among captive birds

Evaluating the resistance of eimeria Spp. field isolates to anticoccidial drugs using three different indices

In this study, the presence of resistance to diclazuril, amprolium+ethopabate and salinomycin, representing some of the commonest anticoccidials in Iran's poultry industry, against three mixed Eimeria field isolates were investigated. Three Eimeria field isolates, collected from typical broiler farms in Iran, were propagated once, inoculated to 480 broilers, comprising 30 chicks in each treatment. The non-medicated or medicated diets containing one of the above mentioned anticoccidials were provided ad-lib. Drug efficacy was determined using the Global index [GI], Anticoccidial Sensitivity Test [AST] and Optimum Anticoccidial Activity [OAA]. None of the field isolates were fully sensitive to the selected anticoccidials. All isolates showed reduced sensitivity/partial resistance to salinomycin. Resistance to amprolium+ethopabate was evident and partial to complete resistance was recorded for diclazuril. Limited efficacy of the selected anticoccidials is obvious. Considering the cost of continuous use of anticoccidials in the field, altering the prevention strategy and rotation of the anticoccidials with better efficacy, would prevent further economic losses induced by coccidiosis.

Biopathologic characterization of three mixed poultry eimeria spp. isolates

Coccidiosis of domestic fowl, caused by species of the Genus Eimeria, is responsible for important economic losses in poultry production. Because different species and/or strains can vary in pathogenicity and other biological parameters, their precise characterization is important for epizootiological studies. Fifty samples from litter, whole intestinal tract and feces were collected from poultry houses located in different provinces of Iran. One hundred twenty male day-old broiler chicks were challenged with three selected isolates. Data on weight gain, Food Conversion Ratio [FCR], food intake, lesion scoring and shedding of oocysts per gram of feces were recorded and analyzed by the Duncan's test. In all treatments, the challenged groups had statistically significant lower weight gain than that of unchallenged control group. Isolate three caused the lowest weight gain and food intake and the worst lesion score as well as FCR. Despite originating from close geographical regions for isolates 1 and 2, the difference in biopathologic factors may be either due to different proportion of identified species or the different pathogenicity of the species present in the isolates. The results highlight the importance of considering various species of Eimeria in designing the preventive, control and treatment strategies to prevent coccidiosis in different regions of Iran. Further characterization of each isolate would be the next step to provide a basis for coccidiosis research with well-characterized local isolates

Seroprevalence of neospora caninum infection in rural and industrial cattle in Northern Iran

Neospora caninum is an intracellular parasite which causes abortion in cattle worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of N. caninum in cattle in Babol City, North of Iran. Blood samples were collected from 237 cattle for determining the seroprevalence of N. caninum. A total of 237 serum samples were tested for anti-Neospora antibodies. Serum samples were analyzed for antibodies against N. caninum antigen using a commercial N. caninum ELISA kit. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 76 of 237 total cattle [32%], 40 of 155 industrial cattle [25.8%] and 36 of 82 rural cattle sera [43.9%] based on ELISA test results. This study is the first report of Neospora infection in this area. Significant difference was observed regarding infection in industrial and rural cattle [P < 0.01]

Dermatitis caused by Simulium [Blackflies] bite

A 32-year-old man was attacked by flies while camping around Khorram Abad, Lorestan Province, western Iran. Pruritic dermatitis with marked edema and considerable discomfort appeared mainly on the lower legs. The flies were identified as Simulium. Simuliids are tiny bloodsucking flies, popularly known as blackflies or buffalo flies, belonging to the dipterous, family Simulidae. They are occurred worldwide, breed in fast-flowing streams, and are a major animal pest